Cruising The Coast Road Tour Event

1/23Cruising the Coast means just that, and a lunch stop in your pearl Merc custom sure beats standing in line for trailer food on a fairgrounds. The cruising never stops and area restaurants were filled with street rods of every description.

Few events can compare with Cruisin' the Coast. The event involves three counties, six cities, 300 volunteers from 13 car clubs to ensure that the 6,169 registered cruisers all have a great time during the weeklong Cruisin' the Coast event. The big show has been going on for 16 years now and it continues to become bigger and better each year.

2/23Phil Medcalf’s ’53 Studebaker Commander has a dual personality. From the front it could be mistaken for a salt flat racer, while the rear view is pure custom with ’56 Packard taillights.

While the explanation that the event "has something for everyone" may be a bit of a cliché, it truly has it all. First the concept is perfect: take a 30-mile stretch of beautiful Gulf Coast, find six perfect venues for cruising, and then organize it in such a manner that thousands of street rods, muscle cars, customs, and trucks are cruising up and down route 90 to enjoy each scenic cruise point. The coast is alive with hot rods of every description and the concept of actually cruising rather than just parking gives the event a special energy. And that energy carries over into the evening hours as well with the cruising going on well into the night as showgoers enjoy some of the entertainment attractions at the casinos and local night spots. Entertainment this year ranged from Jay Leno to the Beach Boys.

From Ocean Springs to Bay St. Louis, the cruise locations all had shops, restaurants, and live music to entertain the folks. The casino night life provides great eats, entertainment, and for those so inclined, the gambling never stops, and of course walking the white sandy beaches is a great way to pass the time.

3/23This fine pair of Deuce roadsters motored in from Florida to enjoy a different view of the Gulf Coast. Full-fendered or highboy it’s tough to beat a Deuce roadster when the weather is this good.

For the first several years this was a three-day event, but today Cruisin' the Coast has morphed into a weeklong happening and the October weather makes it the perfect time to enjoy the Gulf Coast. This year it was 100 percent pure roadster weather for the entire week and top down cruising was the order of the day. While the event began on Sunday, October 7, it builds in intensity until the following weekend when the coast is literally overrun with cars. Friday October 12 through Sunday the 14 were the big days, but there is so much to see and do in the area that many hot rodders are opting to spend the entire week there. The more casual first two days make cruising easier and allow time later in the week to take in the swap meet, the car corral, a big auto auction, and to watch the Mississippi Heritage Aviation Museum do their fly-by salute in vintage aircrafts. Then you can cruise to the Biloxi block party, Gulfport Cruise Central, and park at the Edgewater Mall for a while before heading to D'Iberville and scenic Bay St. Louis.

Yes, there truly is something for everyone at this event. It has become a true hot rod vacation destination and we noticed a lot more families and wives along to enjoy the area. The complete absence of a fairgrounds and the ability to eat at local restaurants and enjoy the gulf seafood only adds to the fun. Yes, Cruisin' the Coast is all of that and more, we've put this one down on our list of best events and plan on returning to enjoy it again. The 17th Annual Cruisin' the Coast will take place October 6-13, 2013. Early registration and information is available at www.cruisinthecoast.com.

4/23It seemed like none of the cars were sitting still for long and this great looking ’50 Ford was no exception. With six different cruise-in venues going at the same time there was always somewhere to go.

23/23Lest you think "Elvis" can't draw a crowd in Mississippi think again. The Elvis impersonator was a huge hit and he performed at a different location each day.